1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to boarding bridges for use in boarding and alighting of passengers of airplanes, vessels, and so on.
2. Description of Related Art
Boarding bridges are tunnel-shaped walking gangways that connect, for example, an airport terminal building and an airplane, to allow direct boarding and alighting of passengers between the terminal building and the airplane.
The intermediate walkway portion of a boarding bridge is constituted by a plurality of telescopically fitted gangway units and extends and contracts by the relative movement of the gangway units in the longitudinal direction. Thus, it covers the gap between a terminal building and an airplane.
However, since the gangway units are fitted telescopically, the passages in adjacent gangway units have a level difference, and there is a risk of passengers stumbling and falling over the level difference.
To eliminate the level differences, for example, a device that is laid over the step is used, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2004-90770.
However, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2004-90770, with the device laid over the step, there is still a possibility that passengers will stumble and fall over the step portion, because the level difference basically still remains.
There is also a problem in that wheelchair passengers have difficulty in passing therethrough.
In particular, the recent progress in barrier free facilities further requires gangways having no level differences.